Universal sliding drawer roller



Dec. 3, 1963 F. HILLSON ET AL 3,112,950

UNIVERSAL SLIDING DRAWER ROLLER Filed Nov. 24, 1961 FIG. I

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E i J I9 21 I5 l7 l4 INVENTORS FRANK H ILLSO N RUBIN KREiUSKY ATTORNEY 3,112,960 UNIVERSAL SLIDING DRAWER ROLLER Frank Hillson, 48 Brentwood Drive, Verona, N.J., and Rubin Krivislty, 4 Sherman Drive, Spring Valley, N.Y. Filed Nov. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 154,488 6 Claims. (Cl. 3083.8)

Our invention relates to drawer rollers generally and specifically to a universal sliding drawer roller adapted for use on both the right and left sides of the cabinet frame.

A common slid'mg drawer construction employs a pair of rollers secured to opposite sides of the cabinet frame and adapted to slidably support the bottom longitudinal edge of the opposing side panels of the drawer. To this end, individual right and left handed roller assemblies are provided each of which is adapted for use only on its respective side of the cabinet frame. Thus, two separate and distinct roller assemblies must be manufactured; a costly procedure which introduces the possibility of error in placement during assembly.

Another difficulty encountered in known roller assemblies lies in the fact that a structural member of the roller mount extends transversely to the roller itself. This structure necessitates raising the topmost edge of the roller to such a degree that the bottom edge of the longitudinal side panels of the drawers do not engage this structural member. Thus, the depth of the drawer which may be accommodated in any particular cabinet frame is reduced.

Therefore, it is among the objects and advantages of our invention to provide a universal sliding drawer roller adapted to be secured to the opposite sides of the cabinet frame to support the opposed bottom longitudinal edges of the side panels of a sliding drawer.

Another object of our invention is to provide a universal sliding drawer roller which can be secured to both the right and left sides of the cabinet frame.

A further object of our invention is to provide a universal sliding drawer roller which permits a minimum clearance between the opposed bottom longitudinal edges of the side panels of the sliding drawer and the cabinet frame.

These objects and advantages as well as other objects and advantages may be achieved by our invention one embodiment of which is illustrated in the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the bottom portion of a cabinet frame having a sliding drawer mounted therein on our rollers.

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view of our universal sliding drawer roller.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a view in perspective of a portion of cabinet frame showing our universal sliding drawer rollers mounted thereto together with a central support rail.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, our universal sliding drawer roller comprises a roller mounting frame 11 having a roller 12 rotatably mounted thereon. Frame 11 is fabricated of a single piece of bendable material such as steel and comprises a fiat, generally rectangular horizontal platform 13. A generally U-shaped roller mount 14, having a length shorter than the horizontal platform 13 is formed on one side of the platform 13 generally symmetrical about its transverse axis. The U-shaped mount 14 comprises a first vertical, downwardly extending, generally flat member 15 formed on the horizontal platform 13, a generally flat, horizontal member 16 formed on the bottom of the vertical member 15 and extending in a direction opposite to the platform 13, and a second, vertical, upwardly extending, generally fiat, member 17 formed on the opposite side of the horizontal member 16. The second vertical member 17 is formed integrally with an elongated, generally flat cross bar 18 at its top Wider 3 ,112,961 Patented Dec. 3, 1%63 ice than the said vertical member 17. A shaft 19 is mounted transversely across the first vertical member 15 and the second vertical member 17 and is generally parallel to the horizontal member 16 and horizontal platform 13 of the frame 11. The roller 12 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 19. An annular flange 20 is provided on the roller 12 adjacent to the vertical member 17. The roller 12 is slightly more narrow than the U-shaped leg 14 and is dimensioned such that its topmost edge extends slightly above the level of the horizontal platform 13 of the frame 11.

The horizontal platform 13 of the frame 11 is provided with a pair of opposed, downwardly extending vertical tabs 21, 21 on opposite sides of and equally spaced from the transverse axis of the platform 13. The tabs 21, 21 are fabricated by making a U-shaped cut in the platform and bending the cut portion downwardly to form the tab.

In addition, the platform 13 is provided with a pair of generally vertical, downwardly extending opposed V- shaped anchors 22, 22 on opposite sides of and equally spaced from the said transverse axis of the platform 13. The anchors 22, 22 are fabricated by making a V-shaped cut in the platform 13 and bending the cut portion downwardly. The platform 13 is also provided with a pair of opposed slots 23, 23 adjacent to the anchors 22, 22 and having their long axis generally parallel to the shaft 19. In addition, there are a pair of opposed holes 24, 24 in the platform 13 located on the opposite side of the anchors 22, 22 from the slots 23, 23. The cross bar 18 is provided with a pair of holes 25, 25 near its opposed ends.

In operation, our rollers are employed in a three point suspension system for sliding drawers. A central rail 26 is secured to the front, horizontal cross member 27 of the cabinet frame at its center and extends rearwardly and perpendicularly thereto. The rear of the rail 26 may be secured to any convenient rear member of the cabinet frame. Our rollers are mounted on opposing sides of the cabinet frame. In each case, the platform 13 is laid over the top edge of the horizontal cross member 27 with the tab 21 abutting the inner face thereof. Pressure exerted on top of the platform 13 by the hand or a tap of a hammer causes the anchor 22 to sink into the cross mem ber 27. The frame 11 may thereafter be securely fastened to the cross member 27 by passing a nail, screw, or other fastening device through either or both of slot 23 and hole 24. The slot 23 is provided to insure lateral adjustability in the position of platform 13. Additional securing may be employed by passing a nail through hole 25 in the cross bar 18 and imbedding it into a vertical member 28 of the cabinet frame. The roller 12 is thus automatically properly positioned to support the opposed bottom longitudinal edges of the side panels 29, 29 of the drawer 31). The rail 26 may be slidably engaged to a support guide 31 mounted on the rear of the drawer 30.

The roller on the opposite side of the frame is mounted in an identical fashion only using the opposite side thereof. Since the roller is symmetrical about its transverse axis, the same roller assembly may be mounted on both the left and right hand sides of the cabinet frame. Of course, the diameter of the roller 12 is slightly less than the width of the first and second vertical members, 15 and 17 respectively, and the horizontal member 16 to insure that it will not touch the cross member 27 of the cabinet frame. It has been found convenient to position each of the tabs 21, 21 in a plane passing through the respective front rear edges of the first and second vertical members, 15 and 17 respectively, and the horizontal members 16 and generally parallel to the shaft 19. In this manner, the respective edges of the first and second vertical members, 15 and 17, and the horizontal member 16 3 may be employed to cooperate with the tab 21 to position the roller 12 with its axis of rotation parallel to the front horizontal cross member 27 of the cabinet frame and perpendicular to the longitudinal side panels 29, 29 of the drawer 39.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The component parts have been shown and described. They each may have substitutes which may perform a substantially similar function; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for the said components and may have actually been known or invented before the present invention; these substitutes are contemplated as being within the scope of the appended claims, although they are not specifically catalogued herein.

We claim:

1. A universal roller for sliding drawers comprising a horizontal platform,

a generally U-shaped leg depending from one side of the platform,

a cross bar formed on the top of the U-shaped leg opposite the platform, the cross bar being wider than the U-shaped leg,

a shaft mounted transversely across the U-shaped leg,

a roller rotatably mounted on the shaft, at least a portion of the roller extending above the platform, and

means on both the platform and the cross bar adapted to secure each to a member of a cabinet frame.

2. A universal roller for sliding drawers comprising a horizontal platform,

a generally U-shaped leg depending from one side of the platform, the U-shaped leg being more narrow than the platform and symmetrical about its transverse axis,

a shaft mounted across the U-shaped leg, the axis of the shaft being substantially parallel to the plane of the platform,

a cross bar formed on the top of the U-shaped leg opposite the platform, the cross bar being wider than the U-shaped leg,

a roller rotatably mounted on the shaft, at least a portion of the roller extending above the platform, and

means on both the platform and the cross bar adapted to secure each to a member of a cabinet frame.

3. A universal roller for sliding drawers comprising a horizontal platform,

a generally U-shaped leg depending from one side of the platform,

a shaft mounted transversely across the U-shaped leg,

a cross bar formed on the top of the U-shaped leg posite the platform, the cross bar being wider than the U-shaped leg,

a roller rotatably mounted on the shaft, at least a por:

tion of the roller extending above the platform,

a pair of opposed tabs depending from the platform and equally spaced from its transverse axis, and

means on both the platform and the cross bar adapted to secure each to a member of a cabinet frame.

4. A universal roller for sliding drawers comprising a horizontal platform,

a generally U-shaped flat leg vertically depending from one side of the platform, the leg being more narrow than the platform and symmetrical about its transverse axis and having opposed edges which lie in planes parallel to each other and generally perpendicular to the platform,

a shaft mounted transversely across the U-shaped leg,

a roller rotatably mounted on the shaft, at least a portion of the roller extending above the platform,

a pair of opposed tabs depending from the platform,

equally spaced from its transverse axis and respectively lying in the planes of the opposed edges of the u shaped leg, and

means on the platform adapted to secure it to a cabinet frame.

5. A universal roller for sliding drawers comprising a horizontal platform,

a generally U-shaped leg depending from one side of the platform having a pair of opposed sides generally parallel to each other and perpendicular to the platform, the leg being more narrow than the platform and symmetrical about its transverse axis,

a shaft mounted transversely across the U-shaped leg,

a roller rotatably mounted across the U-shaped leg, at

least a portion of the roller extending above the platform,

a fiat cross bar on top of the side of the U-shaped leg opposite the platform, the cross bar being wider than the U-shaped leg, lying in the plane of the side of the U-shaped leg to which it is formed and having a hole in each of its opposed ends, and

means on the horizontal platform adapted to both position the platform with respect to a cabinet frame and secure it thereto.

6. A universal roller for sliding drawers comprising,

the structure in accordance with claim 2, the platform and the cross bar being symmetrical about the axis upon which the roller rotates, and

the U-shaped leg being wider than the roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,164,571 Bodine Dec. 14, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS 429,300 Great Britain May 28, 1935 

1. A UNIVERSAL ROLLER FOR SLIDING DRAWERS COMPRISING A HORIZONTAL PLATFORM, A GENERALLY U-SHAPED LEG DEPENDING FROM ONE SIDE OF THE PLATFORM, A CROSS BAR FORMED ON THE TOP OF THE U-SHAPED LEG OPPOSITE THE PLATFORM, THE CROSS BAR BEING WIDER THAN THE U-SHAPED LEG, A SHAFT MOUNTED TRANSVERSELY ACROSS THE U-SHAPED LEG, A ROLLER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE SHAFT, AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE ROLLER EXTENDING ABOVE THE PLATFORM, AND MEANS ON BOTH THE PLATFORM AND THE CROSS BAR ADAPTED TO SECURE EACH TO A MEMBER OF A CABINET FRAME. 